Rupture holder



June 2, w M- NIX RUPTURE HOLDER Filed Aug. 21, 1941 IN VEN TOR.

Patented June 2, 1942 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUPTURE HOLDER I William M. Nix, Lakeland, Fla.

Application August 21, 1941, Serial No. 407,813 7 (oi. 128-107) 7 Claims.

This invention aims to provide a truss pad frame which will cause the wearer a minimum amount of discomfort, the article being inexpensive and durable. The invention aims, further,

to provide novel means for holding the truss pad frame and associated parts in proper position on the body of a wearer.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a device constructed in accordance with the invention,

adapted for use in retaininga groin rupture, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is material, having its ends united at the front by a strap and buckle 6, or in any other suitable way. The rear end of a flexible or resilient perineal strap 2 is attached to the belt I, the forward end of the strap being provided with one part of a separable fastener, such as a pair of eyes 3. A flexible anchore strip, made of leather or the like, extends lengthwise of the belt I, at the front of the belt, and is marked by the numeral 4, the end portions of the anchor strip being secured at 5 to the belt. The anchor strip 4 is long enough so that it offsets a little from the belt I, or shown in Fig. 2, to provide for the insertion of parts hereinafter described.

A frame forms parts of the invention and embodies a U-shaped member I, which may be made of strong and resilient wire. At their upper ends, the side arms of the resilient member I are formed into depending hooks 8. At their lower ends, the bills of the books 8 are extended la erally and are twisted together to form a brace 9, having unusual strength, and preventing the bills of the hooks from springing toward or from each other. The extension of the bill of each book 8 may be formed into an eye I 0, embracing the bill of the other. hook closely.

The resilient member 1, including the upper portions of the hooks 8, is enclosed within a tubular covering II, preferably made of rubber or a rubber composition. In its bottom por ion, the

resilient frame member 1 is formed into a pair of hooks l2, extended outwardly through the openings in the covering II, and adapted to be engaged by the eyes 3 of the perineal strap 2, the

hooks I2 being joined by an integral connecting Mum... ".42

portion l4 of the frame member "I, located outside the covering II, as Figs. 1 and 2 show.

The frame 'I-II is pushed downwardly between the offset anchor strip 4 and the front part of the belt I, to the position of Fig. 2, so that the hooks 8 engage over the upper edge of the strip. Since the bends of the hooks 8 are covered, they will not out downwardly into thestrip 4; The tubular covering II acts as a cushion and prevents the frame member I from giving the wearer discomfort. V V

The space within the frame 1- isbridged by the garments (not shown) of the wearer and the rupture is retained adequately. Because the covering II is made of rubber, it has a good frictional hold on the garments, and the part of the garments that is within the contour of the frame I-I I will not shift about on the rupture, or become too slack.

The U-shaped resilient member I and the friction covering II are shaped to conform to the marginof the rupture to be retained: meaning thereby that the opening within the contour of the part 'I-l l is about equal in size to the outer end or mouth of the opening from which the rupture protrudes. Clearly, it would be a disadvantage to have the garments pressed to the body in markedly spaced relation to the margin of the rupture, because thereby an unnecessary amount of the garments would be exposed for stretching.

If an ordinary rupture not of thegroin type is to be retained, recourse is had-to the form shown in Figs. 3 to 6.

The body member of the frame, corresponding in function and in material to the member I, is marked by the numeral I5, and is in the form of a continuous ring. The body member I5 is enclosed in a tubular, annular covering l6, corresponding in function and in material to the covering II.

The ends of an anchor strip l1, made of tape or the like, are looped about the covering I6 and are connected to the body part of the anchor strip, as shown at l8. A body engaging member, such as a belt I9, is threaded between anchor strip and the covering I6 of the frame.

The numeral 20 marks a retaining strip, made of textile ribbon or the like, and having its ends 2| secured about the covering I6 of the frame. The retaining strip 20 is located in one diameter of the frame I5-20, the anchor strip I! being disposed in anotherdiameter of the frame, at right angles to the first mentioned diameter. The strips I1 and 20 are disposed on opposite sides of the frame I5-2ll, as Fig. 6 displays.

A pad 22, fashioned from any appropriate soft and resilient material, is located between the strip 20 and the belt I9, the pad fitting closely but removably within the contour of the frame l20. Figure 4 shows the face of the pad 22 that is disposed against the rupture. The retaining strip 20 is made of soft material and is very thin. It will not irritate the rupture, and users will not be aware of its presence, whilst the truss is being worn.

The device, in either of its forms, has the advantages hereinbefore pointed out. A mechanic who abides by what is claimed, can make changes in the precise structures shown, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what .is claimed is:

1. In a truss, a U-frame shaped to conform to the margin of the ruptureto be retained, the upper portions of the side arms of the frame terminating in means for assembly with a body-engaging support, the lower bend of the frame being provided with a device for engagemerit with a perineal strap.

2. In a truss, the structure specified in claim 1, and wherein said means embodies downwardly-opening hooks.

3. In a truss, the structure specified in claim 1, and wherein said means embodies downwardlyopening hooks, and a connection joining the bills of the hooks.

4. In a truss, the structure specified in claim 1, and wherein said means embodies downwardlyopening hooks, the lower portions of the bills of the hooks merging into lateral extensions which are twisted together for reinforcement, and means for joining the end of the extension of each hook to the side arm of the other hook.

5. In a truss, an approximately U-shaped frame member, formed to conform to the margin of the rupture to be retained, the upper portions of the side arms of the frame member terminating in downwardly-opening hooks, a connection joining the lowerv ends of the bills of the hooks, a tubular cushion mounted on the frame member and extended upon the bills of the hooks, a portion of the frame member extending outwardly through the cushion, at the bottom of the frame member, and shaped for assembly with a perineal strap.

6. In a truss, a tubular, centrally-open, covering, shaped to conform to the margin of the rupture to be retained, and a reinforcing frame member extended through the bore of the covering, a portion of the frame member extending out of the upper part of the covering, and being V shaped for connection with a body-engaging suping, a portion of the frame member extending 1 out of the lower part of the covering, and being shaped for connection with a perineal strap.

WILLIAM M. NIX. 

